On Wednesday 11th September I pledged my support for a campaign by national charity Rethink Mental Illness to make the Government's fit-for-work test fair for people with mental illness.

I took part in an event in Westminster during which I was asked to prove whether I was fit for my job. This 'MP Capability Assessment' mirrored the Work Capability Assessment - the controversial test used by the Government to decide whether thousands of people with mental illness and other disabilities are entitled to financial support.

Lara Carmona, Head of Campaign for Rethink Mental Illness, said:

“This was obviously a slightly tongue in cheek exercise, but there is a very serious message underpinning it. Just as our MP Capability Assessment doesn’t accurately reflect Dame Joan Ruddock’s ability to be an MP, neither does the Work Capability Assessment fairly judge whether someone with mental illness is able to work. “That’s why we are delighted that Joan has backed our call for the Government to make the fit-for-week test fair for people with mental illness. The system isn’t working, and it’s in everyone’s interests that we have a fair and accurate assessment process, which gets it right the first time. It could make a huge difference to some of the most vulnerable people in Lewisham and Deptford.”

Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness. It runs services and support groups that change people’s lives, as well as challenging attitudes towards mental illness.